Upgrading Your Tools

The December Westpak Tell-Tale
by Craig Tyler

Wand Upgrades: Glides. There are a few reasons to add a glide to your wand. First, if the material is Teflon then it's generally easier to clean with the wand. Easier meaning the Teflon glides over the carpet freely and easily with less restriction then stainless steel lips or glides. This will also help a carpet cleaner to have less stress and strain in his arm, shoulder, and back which will allow him or her to work more efficiently throughout the day.

The second reason is that the glide is designed to enhance the cleaning capabilities of the wand. This is done by creating enough air flow through the glide that it will maximize the power of the vacuum motor with the wand.

Now both of these reasons may be up for debate and glides have also been made from other materials. Feel free to share your thoughts about glides.

Wand Upgrades: Nozzle Extenders.

When you put a glide on a wand it raises the nozzles from the carpet. The solution to this is putting 1/2inch or 1inch nozzle extenders between the nozzle and the manifold. If you have 1/4inch nozzles you'll need to change from a standard vjet nozzle to a tjet nozzle. The Westpak Nozzle extenders come with a filter and an option check valve. As discussed in the filter post in November, this will help keep your nozzles free of clogging. Just remember, for every inch your nozzles are above the carpet you're losing 10°. So if you're looking at getting higher heat to the carpet, a nozzle extender may be the solution.

Upgrading Your Tools

The November Westpak Tell-Tale
by Craig Tyler

Preventive Measures: Filters. Got dirty or worn nozzles? If it's been awhile since you've replaced your nozzles you may want to consider replacing them. To clean them simply use a wooden toothpick and get that gunk out. If it's a serious issue you may need to take the nozzle off and clean it. Never use another metal when cleaning your nozzles because they will typically damage the spray pattern and then you need to replace a nozzle.

So now you have clean nozzles in your tools. An easy way to keep them clean is to install an inline filter. These typically go in before the valve on your wand or tool and after the quick connect. The mesh filter will protect not only your nozzles but also your valve and solution lines from dirt and grit. It won't stop everything from getting into your system, but it will stop the majority of it. This will help you spend less time fixing your tools and more time on the job making money.

Don't forget to inspect your tools regularly for any items that may need maintenance. A careful eye will help prevent incidences occurring on the job.

Nozzle Knowledge

Nozzle Knowledge
Westpak February Tell-Tale
By Steve Tyler

Nozzles (Jets) are a source of confusion for many in this industry, but there are a few basic concepts that when understood will make our lives easier. First let us understand the numbers on the nozzle itself. To help us, think of a garden hose and holding our thumb over the hose. No thumb in front of the hose, there is flow, but spray distance and pressure is low. Now with the thumb over the hose, the spray can be far, even 2-5 feet. The flow is the same, but we restricted the opening to make it go farther. We can even move our thumb around to make it a small stream or a wide fan.

The Nozzle Numbers

So it is with the nozzles that we buy. A common size is a 9502. What does this mean? The number 95 is the spray angle in degrees. This angle can be narrow or wide (05, 30, 45, 65, 95, or 110). This distributes the same flow over a narrow or wide area. The next set of numbers is 02, which means the flow in 1/10 of a gallon per minute. In this example 02 means .2 (2/10) of a gallon per minute (at 40 PSI).

So if we change the nozzle to a 11002 it will be 110° wide spray pattern, but still flow .2 Gallons per minute (GPM). If we changed the nozzle to a 9503 it would flow at .3 GPM. This will give you a good basis for understanding those numbers.

Choosing the Right Nozzle

Nozzles are affected by primarily pressure and flow which are related to each other. We have discussed three variables, Angle of spray, Flow, and Pressure. How do these things work together to help us clean efficiently.

Angle of spray is largely determined by the manufacturer of a tool. In many cases if your tool has a 95° nozzle, you can move the nozzle closer to the carpet by using a wider angle nozzle (for example a 110° nozzle). Reasons to do this may be the tool design or to have more spray impact to the carpet. A shorter distance also transfers more heat to the carpet.

Flow is also a design parameter to provide enough water to the carpet to do a full rinse. Generally speaking wands are designed to flow .6 Total Gallons of water per minute to the carpet. This can be one 06 nozzle, two 03 nozzles, or four 015 nozzles. This can be adjusted for more flow or less, for the application. For example .4 GPM total will put less water in the carpet and will dry faster. Likewise .8 GPM total will rinse better, but will dry slower.

How Water Pressure Affects the Nozzles
Pressure is primarily a function of the pump in the machine. Low pressure (40 PSI) can be seen at the nozzle with a weaker spray and lower flow. High pressure (600 or 1000 PSI) will show a slightly wider angle and a very strong flow. Low pressures are used for delicate fabrics and furniture, high pressures are used for hard surfaces, including tile, grout, marble and such materials. Our tools perform better at certain pressures, and specific nozzle angles and flow.

Replacing and Maintaining Your Nozzles

Remember the example of using the hose to clean your car, and putting your thumb over the opening. In some places it cleans better with more pressure and a smaller stream, like cleaning the wheels. So it is with cleaning carpet. More pressure will agitate the soiled carpet better. Using the correct nozzles will help this also clean better.

Nozzles can actually wear out! Look closely at a nozzle opening of a nozzle that is new compared to one a year or so old. The old one will have a bigger opening and maybe deformed. It will show lower performance and maybe an irregular spray fan and more flow. Nozzle openings erode and get bigger with flow and pressure over time. This should be checked at least monthly. Nozzles should be changed about every 1000 hours or even less based on your particular conditions.

Note that nozzles are made of either Brass or Stainless Steel. Brass will wear faster. Stainless Steel is harder and will last much longer than the brass nozzles. A good upgrade is to change to SS nozzles.

In Conclusion…
Nozzles need to be cleaned, and wands need to be clean also. Clean with vinegar or a proven cleaner. Nozzles should never be cleaned with drills, pins, or hard objects as it will damage the precision opening. Clean with a wooden toothpick is a good choice, with water.

Clean tools and nozzles give better performance and present a better image to your customer.